Retirement checklist
- Decide when you're going to retire and what you plan to do.
- Get details of all of your pensions.
- Use our handy checklist to work out what you'll need in retirement.
- Do you have any one-off or ad-hoc spending plans?
- Use the Lifestyle Explorer and start enjoying your best retirement
Reading time
5 mins
What you need
Key themes at a glance
Plan ahead
People who have written their plans down are more likely to stick to them
When?
You can currently access your pension savings from age 55 onwards
How?
Are you going to retire completely or do you plan to keep working in some capacity?
Existing pensions
Tracking down all of your old pensions can take time, so don't leave this to the last moment
State Pension
Don't discount the State Pension - this can be worth up to £11,500 a year
Spending
Take the time to work out what you spend day to day, and what else you may want to do in retirement
More information
Decide when you're going to retire and what you plan to do.
- Are you going to retire completely, or do you plan to keep working in some capacity?
- How are you going to spend your time? Are there hobbies you want to take up or do more of? Do you plan to spend time volunteering?
Get details of all of your pensions.
- Go online to get a benefit statement for each pension you have. Remember there are different types of pension.
- Not sure what pensions you have? Use the Government's Pension Tracing Service, or for more information use the National Pension Tracing Day guide.
- Don’t forget about the State Pension - this can be worth up to £11,500 a year.
Work out what you'll need in retirement.
- It's really important to understand what your spending will be in retirement.
- Try to think about it in terms of core spending or discretionary spending.
- Core spending is utility bills, food etc. – costs that you can’t go without and will always have.
- Lifestyle/discretionary spending is things like eating out, holidays, entertainment etc. - things that you enjoy but may be able to live without.
Do you have any one-off or ad-hoc spending plans?
- Are you planning to buy a new car? How often will you replace it in the future?
- Any big holiday plans in retirement?
- Do you have any debts to repay?
Ready to start?
- Go to our Lifestyle Explorer and start seeing what your retirement could look like.
- Want a guaranteed income in retirement?
Use our annuity finder service. - Not sure what to do?
We can help you work out your pension approach.